I received a nice email (included below) from the Yoga Alliance (I used to be a certified member) regarding changes in direction but mostly looking to create an atmosphere of commitment to (a student’s ever shape-shifting) boundaries so students feel safe despite any history of trauma.

Besides PTSD activations from cues involving hands on touching, there have been episodes where the (certified) instructor gets drawn into “inappropriate “ intimacy.

From both my perspective of student and teacher, this is an inevitable consequence of spending hours in close quarters together which one does attending classes regularly.

And when one is susceptible from any version of low esteem.

My teacher used to say “lead with your breath”- to do the pose and sequence she was demonstrating. this is not heart lead – unless we’re really wanting to become her follower!

The benefits of yoga as a primary focus of life which is her intention (or his , since ‘Shannon’ can be a name for either) are overrated.

While yoga has benefits, especially in the west where there’s more emphasis on witnessing one’s efforts to contort, it’s primarily another way to stay ungrounded from your lasting ease and harmony- which I call sweetness.

Being grounded in sweetness is necessary for resilience.

Public classes build collectives, cliques of students and individuals, based on appearances, reactions, and physicality. That is, how our momentary photons emit and reflect off our waveform of probabilistic electron cloud being while engaged in willful self-serving activity.

As such, Yoga is “meat”based, not an expression of spirit- at least until now.

Why revere someone skilled in deprivation as mastered by Indian yogis- to eschew meat, sex, and “needs” of the physical body? Yoga trains us to deny and suppress. Do American children really want to become more like continental Indians?

This seems to be his/her aim and focus. Maybe I have it wrong – what do you think?

Here’s the letter I replied with. S/he sent an auto-reply back.

‘Hi there Alliance yoga and Shannon Roche, 

I hope you are successful at teaching and demonstrating the power of breath.

 More nadi shodanan. 

No one needs to learn to sit- our current schools are for that- perhaps try walking meditation. 

holding poses suggesting strife, battle, awkwardness or discomfort of any kind trains soma you will bully ‘her’ and dominate. Focusing on war(riors) your finding ease in drishdi- someone else’s. (Drishdi is single- minded focus- like having a unicorn’s horn coming out of your forehead).

Rename them unicorn poses- any pose with drishdi involved. which to me long ago certified, is all of them.

but then, following a teacher’s recommendation for activities, you’re focusing on some man’s idea of drishdi- not your own. 

So while yoga feels good it’s a surrogate- not the real thing to bring you lasting sweetness unlike ballet which models grace and poise.

For lasting sweetness, you need to create tangible useful objects of beauty and value- beyond a rare hobby and live from a kindly perspective.

As long as scantily clad women are in a room with likewise men- sex is going to happen despite anyone’s commitment to motivation or intention.

if you wouldn’t go into an ashram space wearing your yoga garb- you’re not wearing enough. Develop a dress code.

perhaps keep physical yoga like- royal danish army, Bikram, or Patel’s ashtanga style of yoga unisex including instructor professionals. 

Blessings, 

jennifer 

Let your heart lead your breath; Heart engages drishdi! Heart hears (and sees) before mind understands. Breath will calm as one’s system quiets.’

His/her letter:

Dear Jennifer,

Today, I’m excited to share something that’s been several years in the making—Yoga Alliance is introducing a new look to match the bold vision we’re bringing to life.

This rebrand is part of our ongoing evolution. It honors yoga’s deep roots while making space for the shifting realities of our world. It holds tradition and transformation in the same breath. It reflects what we’ve heard from so many of you: that the systems surrounding yoga must adapt to better reflect its full potential. 

This new visual identity is more than a logo or color palette. It’s a reflection of who we are now, the communities we’re honored to serve, and the future we’re building together through care, connection, and collective action.

Next week you’ll see changes to our logo, colors, and website, but we hope you feel the change in other ways, too: in how we communicate, hold space, and invite people into this practice—just as they are. 

But, this is just the start of our transformation.

Both seasoned practitioners and newcomers exploring yoga are demanding accountability from the teachers and schools they trust with their wellbeing. They’re not just looking for someone who can demonstrate a pose—they want verified expertise. They want to know that teachers have been thoughtfully assessed, because when you step onto the mat, you deserve the confidence that comes from knowing you’re in capable trustworthy hands. This isn’t just about preference; it’s about strengthening the quality of teaching to better support safe, meaningful practice.

With this critical feedback, we’re transforming our credentialing system making Yoga Alliance credentials a powerful symbol of quality, safe teaching. These changes position Yoga Alliance credential holders as the standard-bearers of excellence, recognizing both their commitment to safety and the unique expertise that sets them apart among the many options available to them. You’ll hear details about these changes next year. 

Of course, the best credentials in the world don’t matter if people don’t know they exist. We’re investing heavily in educating communities about yoga and the Yoga Alliance credential, highlighting the diverse forms yoga can take and the range of approaches our credentialed teachers offer to support physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing. Everyone deserves access to quality instruction, and we’re committed to connecting people with teachers who have the proven training and expertise to guide their practice. 

We also talked directly to teachers and schools, gathered their input, and we’re actively reshaping your membership experience. Next year, you’ll hear about new membership benefits for yoga teachers and businesses—with more opportunities for professional development, business tools, connection and networking.

Every initiative we pursue, every investment we make, flows from our core vision, mission, and purpose:  

• To realize a better, bolder, more compassionate world, grounded in yoga 
• To advocate for yoga in its wholeness, and all human beings in theirs 
• To amplify the power of yoga, and make it accessible to anyone wherever they are, under whatever circumstances 

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far and energized by the path laid out in our strategic plan. We hope this new identity feels like a collective embrace: welcoming, intentional, and built for belonging. 

We invite you to share this moment with your community and help us carry this purpose forward. 

More yoga, better world.